Daily Republican., 1887-08-15
cam i MY Brother's Keeper q

The week before last RAchel Pisman
was killed by her brutal father In .
psssiou, because, % II WAS said that she
had d.sregarded his demand that oil
his children should remain at nome and
m upport him in tdlaness by their earn.
tnps, I, Vas discovered at the .uneral thAt
there we're other reasons for the murder,
though OF course NO reason could exist
that would justify . father In murder
ing his daughter. It was found that
the fsther was angered over the fAct
that Rachel had been keeping company
with young man who had vile and
child ren else where, and that his visits
10 her were approved by RAoheis Sun
day sshool teacher. This may sound
Queer, and the question may be asked,
what right such . person had to be .
Sunday school teacher. No mAtteI
about this, these were the facts, and
more the young man who paid hts re-
spects to her WAS also q member in
good standing in the same church,
Here were conditions more than
enough Immediately ct hand for first
GLASS domestic tragedy, ready for = cs-
tastrophe as any time, without tho Ad.
ditional FAC: that the home OF the
wrstched girl Was msde more wretched
still by her fathers temper and habits.
1t is not sure whether she did or did
not know OF the wife and children her
suitor had In the back ground. How.
ever this 10 nothing here NOR there, the
main point 10 that Rachel PitmAn be-
longed to . Sunday school whore she
had teacher that encouraged her In re-
oeiving suitor who had . wife and
children. This brings up the question
OF responsibility Of Sunday school
teachers, pssso ors and others In authority
n churches. When young people Gre
brought into the church what are they
led to expect? The sy mpa.hy and ad'
Vice OF those who have been In the
church longer than they and especially
Of those In authority.
Large numbers Of girls and boys
unite with Sunday schools and ohur ches
to find friends and associates. In sucf
cases 1t seems sorro wfui thing that NJ
effective care or oversight Is undertaken
by church or Sunday s,hoo. people n
TO the actusl domestic status OF peopl'
in their congregations. Somehow girls
who perhaps are worse off than II they
were orphans, should find In the rsli
g.ous sociesies to which they attaot
them selves the guiding and guarding
associations against the temptation
tina! base. their lives Societies IS vel
rs individuals may be i'm posed upon
but IL seems that the question, "Am
my brosher's keepsr?" Is not asked b,
them ia the fullest ~ay desirable. In
difference o. congregations In ganers
TO individuals in the congregation IL
crying evil that often brings reprcac
upon the church. Does II not c!te
happen that stranger who comes to
churcs for . year or more ssys: Nobod
has ever nodded TO mt; NOBODY seem
TO care whsther / am dead or Aiiv!
Sometimes the busy clergyman himseI
has been counted among the people VIII
take no notice. Somebody In that coz
gregatIon where the Pltman girl ri
tended. should have had suf1i cient In
tersss to correct and protect th
ignorance OF the poor girl and he
teacher IN regard to the bad soclet
into which che had fallen. Tie chur,
Is its brotner's keeper; Is bound t
Know enough o: It's mon nbership and c
the c.rcu instances that threaten th
lives and characters Of the innosen
and young who pu. trust In II to shisl
them agalns. impending calamity
Kvsry Sunday schsol and churc
should realize the senamen. that /"
am my brothers keeper"